This invention relates to apparatus and a method for separating continuous forms into sheets and more particularly to apparatus which is operable to start the separation at one edge of the forms and progress across the sheet at a controlled rate.
A typical computer output printer operation sometimes has the requirement that the continuous forms (fan-fold) output be trimmed and separated into sheets and then further separated into sets of copies, data sets, or jobs for distribution to customers and/or operating segments of the organization. This work has traditionally been done off-line using a manually set up burster and trimmer and by manual separation of copies, data sets and jobs. As computer output printers have been developed which operate at higher and higher printing speeds, the postprinting processing of the printed output has become more of a problem in achieving the throughput the printer is capable of producing. For this reason, it would be desirable to perform these operations on-line in the printer. The biggest deterrent to the on-line performance of these operations is the burster since prior art bursters have some characteristics which make them unsuitable for a data processing environment such as excessive noise, vibration and the requirement for operator attendance. It is the purpose of this invention to provide a burster mechanism having sufficiently low noise and vibration characteristics so that it can be run on-line with a computer output printer with sufficient reliability so that operator attendance is not required.